Cleaning the case on an Edison Home
Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:54 pm
One of my project machines is this Edison Home B with repeater. My first impression of the case was that it was dirty and dull. I am a believer in keeping an original finish when possible. I'm not against refinishing but only when necessary. You've probably already heard "it's only original once" a time or two already.
So my first step is to clean the original finish and then make an assessment.
Step 1 - The first thing to do is disassemble the hardware from the cabinet. You are probably cleaning a century worth of dirt, lubricants, and gunk. So it's best to disassemble. Do the best job you are able to do. I clean each part as it is removed from the cabinet. I find that I'm always anxious to see my completed project and know that I'm less likely to do a really good job if I wait to clean parts before they are re-installed.
Step 2 - Use GoJo(without abrasives) or Kotton Klenser, 0000 steel wool, an old tooth brush, and clean rags or paper towels. For years I used Kotton Klenser with excellent results. The last couple of years I've used GoJo with equal results and at a fraction of the cost. Both products are gentle on your hands. I use 0000 steel wood but I don't scrub the finish aggressively. I let the steel wood do the work. I am cautious around decals. I'll use GoJo over the decal and then wipe off almost immediately. Using the base of the cabinet as an example, I'll apply the cleaner with steel wool, one side at a time to another. I wipe the cleaner off the decal and keep going one side at a time. Lastly I use a clean paper towel to remove all the cleaner. If I think a spot needs an additional application, I'll go through the process again. I've read that some collectors keep applying cleaner and paper towels until the towels show only removed cleaner. I am not that aggressive because steel wool is an abrasive. You might use clean rags and cleaner with follow up applications.
Step 3 - After some time, perhaps several hours or overnight, I like to use Howard Feed-N-Wax. I apply the bees wax with a clean rag, let it rest for twenty minutes, and polish with a clean paper towel.
Step 4 - Reassemble your project.
I'm quite pleased with this Home. The wood grain is much more visible since cleaning. Now I need to get the mechanism to Cliff for a spring repair. Sorry, but I've never enjoyed that part of the hobby. It's my one flaw.
An interesting observation of this machine is the fact of 6.5" space to the right of the decal and 5.5" space to the left. From the factory errors are OK and interesting. But if I had done a refinish and installed the decal with an error like that, it would be unacceptable.
Jerry Blais
So my first step is to clean the original finish and then make an assessment.
Step 1 - The first thing to do is disassemble the hardware from the cabinet. You are probably cleaning a century worth of dirt, lubricants, and gunk. So it's best to disassemble. Do the best job you are able to do. I clean each part as it is removed from the cabinet. I find that I'm always anxious to see my completed project and know that I'm less likely to do a really good job if I wait to clean parts before they are re-installed.
Step 2 - Use GoJo(without abrasives) or Kotton Klenser, 0000 steel wool, an old tooth brush, and clean rags or paper towels. For years I used Kotton Klenser with excellent results. The last couple of years I've used GoJo with equal results and at a fraction of the cost. Both products are gentle on your hands. I use 0000 steel wood but I don't scrub the finish aggressively. I let the steel wood do the work. I am cautious around decals. I'll use GoJo over the decal and then wipe off almost immediately. Using the base of the cabinet as an example, I'll apply the cleaner with steel wool, one side at a time to another. I wipe the cleaner off the decal and keep going one side at a time. Lastly I use a clean paper towel to remove all the cleaner. If I think a spot needs an additional application, I'll go through the process again. I've read that some collectors keep applying cleaner and paper towels until the towels show only removed cleaner. I am not that aggressive because steel wool is an abrasive. You might use clean rags and cleaner with follow up applications.
Step 3 - After some time, perhaps several hours or overnight, I like to use Howard Feed-N-Wax. I apply the bees wax with a clean rag, let it rest for twenty minutes, and polish with a clean paper towel.
Step 4 - Reassemble your project.
I'm quite pleased with this Home. The wood grain is much more visible since cleaning. Now I need to get the mechanism to Cliff for a spring repair. Sorry, but I've never enjoyed that part of the hobby. It's my one flaw.
An interesting observation of this machine is the fact of 6.5" space to the right of the decal and 5.5" space to the left. From the factory errors are OK and interesting. But if I had done a refinish and installed the decal with an error like that, it would be unacceptable.
Jerry Blais